Garment-clasp.



No. 844,679. PATENTED FEB. 19, 1907.

J. D. KARLE. Y

GARMENT CLASP. APPLIOATION FILED APR.19,1906.

[llll 1 INVENTOR 11 1 1 J'QDKarYe WITNESSES JOHN D. KARLE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

GARMENT-CLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1907.

Application filed April 19, 1906. Serial No. 312,590.

To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN D. KAnLn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garment-Clasps and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the inven tion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to garment-clasps, and consists in certain arrangements of oarts and combinations of parts, such as wil be hereinafter fully explained and then particularly pointed out in the claims which conclude this application.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved clasp with the clamping-loop open, and Fig. 2 a vertical longitudinal section thereof; Fig. 3, a side elevation of said clasp with the clampingloop closed, and Fig. 4 a central vertical longitudinal section thereof; Fig. 5, a plan view of the clasp with the clamping-loop open Fig. 6, a detail perspective view of the clampingloop equipped with a rubber covering; and Fig. 7 a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modification of my improvement in which the clamping-lever is thrown rearwardly to effect the closing of the clamping-loop.

Similar numbers of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

1 is a base-plate supporting at its outer extremity a stud 2, which may be made of any suitable material, preferably rubber, and which is secured to the base-plate in any ordinary manner.

3 is a cross-pin whose ends are secured within ears 1, that project upwardly from the rear portion of the plate 1, and 5 is the clamping-loop, which is made of wire andhas depressed portions 6 near its rear end,which portions extend beneath the pin 3, the forward extremity of this loop being enlarged to form a circular portion 7, capable of fitting snugly over the stud 2. The extreme rear ends of the loop 5 immediately beyond the pin 3 are bent at right angles toward each other at 8, as shown more particularly at F ig. 6, and these ends are passed freely within the heel portion of a earn 9, so that the latter has a free swinging action around said ends as a pivotal point, said cam being provided with a lever 10.

11 is a sheet-metal spring having a depressed port-ion 12, which fits snugly beneath the pin 3, intermediate ot the sides of the clamping-loop 5, the forward extremity of this spring resting upon the plate 1,while the rear extremity of said spring is reduced in width and rests upon'the ends 8 of the clamping-loop between the sides of the cam 9, the function of this spring being to normally elevate the clamping-loop, so that the portion 7 is elevated above the stud 2 for the insertion of the fabric to be clamped when the lever 10 is thrown rearwardly, as shown at Figs. 1, 2, and 5. Neither the clamping-loop 5 or the spring 11 has actual connection with the means employed for confining these elements in position, and therefore there can be no cramping or buckling of these elements, since they are, so to speak, loosely confined to the plate 1, in contradistinction to all other garment-clasps in which the similar elements either actually surround a pivotal point or are otherwise directly connected to the baseplate. It will be obvious, therefore, that the oop 5 can be elevated or lowered with a rocking movement.

The operation of my improvement is as follows: The garment is placed over the stud 2 and the handle of the cam-lever swung forward to the position shown at Figs. 3 and 1, thereby securely clamping the garment between said stud and the forward end of the loop 5.

In the event that the loop 5 is provided with a rubber covering 18, as shown at Fig. 6, it will be clear that the garment will be held between rubber surfaces, and this is very desirable in devices of this description, although I do not limit myself to the provision of rubher.

It will be observed that neither the clamping-loop nor the spring element is actually pivoted, although they are pivotally confined, and this effectually prevents the cram in of these parts and ives them greater elficiency in the performance of their functions. Furthermore, it will be clear that the cross-pin 3 is practically a continuation of the ears 4, in that the two are rigidly connected together, so as to form a tie-bar or sort of bail for the purpose of confining the loop to the plate.

Referring to the modification shown at Fig. 7 of the drawings, it will be noted that the forward end of the cam 9 is pivoted around the rear ends of the loop 5, whereby when the clamping-lever is thrown rear- Wardly the rear ends of the clamping-loop having its ends secured within said ears, the

will be elevated, thereby causing the forward portion of the'clamping-lever to assume its closed or clamping position. I therefore do not Wish to be limited to the pivoting of either the heel or front ends of the cam around the rear ends of the loop 5, since both of these constructions are fully within my invention. This construction (shown at Fig. 7) is particularly Well adapted for a Womans use on a stocking-supporter, since the end of the lever 10 presents no projection on which a womans clothing could catch, and this is not true of the construction shown in the other figures of the drawings, as will be apparent from Figs. 3 and 4, where the bent-up end of the lever 10 does actually present a hook-like projection which would be very apt to catch in a womans clothing. The construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, would probably be preferred as a clasp on the end of a hose-supporter for a man.

. Having thus described my invention, 'what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a garment-clasp, the combination of the base-plate supporting a stud at its forward end and a crosspin near its rear end, the clamping-loop pivotally confined beneathsaid cross-pin and having its rear ends bent toward each other, the cam-lever around said rear ends, and the spring element whereby said loop is normally elevated.

2. In a garment-clasp, the combination of a base-plate carrying a stud at its outer end and provided near its rear end with upwardlyprojecting ears, the cross-pin having its ends secured within these ears, the clamping-loop having depressed portions near its rear end which fit snugly beneath said pin, the cam lever pivoted to the rear end of said loop, and the sheet-metal spring having a depressed portion which fits beneath said pin intermediate of the sides of said loop and whose forward extremity rests upon said plate while its rear extremity bears against the rear end of said loop.

3. In a garment-clasp, the combination of the base-plate supporting at its front end-a stud and having ears which project upwardly on opposite sides of its rear portion, the pin clamping-loop having its front portion conformed to said stud and provided with depressed portions near its rear end which portions fit snugly beneath said pin and having its rear ends bent toward each other at right angles, the cam-lever pivoted around said ends, and the sheet-metal spring having a depressed portion which fits beneath said pin intermediate of the sides of said loop, the forward end of said spring resting against the base-plate while the rear end bears upon the rear bent ends of said loop.

4. In a garment-clasp, the combination of the base-plate supporting a stud at its forward end, the clamping-loop pivotally confined to said plate beneath a cross-piece which is supported by said plate near its rear end, the cam-lever carried by the rear end of the clamping-loop immediately above said plate, and the spring element whereby said loop is normally elevated.

5. In a garment-clasp, the combination of a base-plate supporting at its forward end a stud, a clamping-loop loosely confined to said plate and capable of a free rocking movement, means carried by said plate for preventing displacement of said loop, the camlever pivoted to the rear end of said loop immediately above said plate, and a spring bearing against said loop whereby the forward end of the latter is normally elevated.

6. In a garment-clasp, the combination of a base-plate carrying a stud at its outer end, the clamping-loop having depressed portions near its rear end, means carried by said plate and extending immediately above said depressed portions of the loop whereby the latter is confined to said plate and is capable ofa rocking movement, the cam-lever pivoted to the rear end of said loop immediately above said plate, and the spring element bearing against said clamping-loop to cause the latter to normally assume an elevated position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

F. IV. SMITH, Jr., M. T. LONGDEN. 

